Ben Stokes to miss The Hundred 2025, prioritises Ashes fitness

England Test captain Ben Stokes will miss this summer’s edition of The Hundred as he prioritises his fitness ahead of the Ashes in Australia later this year.

Stokes, 33, has not been retained by Northern Superchargers as teams announced their latest signings for the 2025 tournament. The all-rounder tore his left hamstring during England’s tour of New Zealand in December, just months after suffering the same injury while playing for Superchargers in August. Following surgery, he was ruled out for at least three months.

England’s next Test assignment is against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May, but Stokes aims to be fit for the County Championship season in April. The Hundred begins on 5 August, just a day after England’s five-Test series against India concludes, while the Ashes start in Perth on 21 November.

Meanwhile, Australia batter Steve Smith has joined Welsh Fire as part of the new private negotiation system allowing teams to sign one men’s and one women’s player outside The Hundred draft. Smith was initially set to play for Fire in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the tournament’s launch.

Other major signings include Marcus Stoinis joining Trent Rockets, Meg Lanning signing with Oval Invincibles, and Rashid Khan moving to Invincibles alongside England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Trent Boult has joined Birmingham Phoenix, while David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen have been picked up by Superchargers and Manchester Originals, respectively.

With 68 spots still open, teams will finalise their squads in The Hundred draft on 12 March, followed by a wildcard draft in May for in-form domestic players.

Oval Invincibles won the men’s title in 2024, while London Spirit claimed the women’s trophy. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recently oversaw the sale of stakes in the eight franchises, valuing them collectively at over £975m, generating around £520m to be reinvested in English cricket.

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